This savoury, lentil cake is made with rice and different lentils. It is has a crisp outer shell and is soft on the inside. This is quite easy to make but preparation is key as is using the exact measures. This is an old family recipe; I have grown up eating this and it always reminds me of my mother. Enjoy x
Recipe will serve 6
Ingredients:
1 cup rice
1/4 cup toor dahl
1/4 cup urad dahl split with skin
1/4 cup chana dahl
1.5 tspn turmeric
1 inch ginger chopped
1 green chili
1.5 tspn salt
2 tspn sugar
1/4 tspn asafoetida
1/2 cup yogurt
2 tbspns oil
1 cup butternut squash shredded
generous squeeze of half lemon
1 tspn Eno fruit salt
For Seasoning
1 tbspn oil
1 tspn mustard seeds
1/4 tspn asafoetida
1 tbspn sesame seeds
Also need
oil to grease the baking pan
8×8 baking pan
Method
Wash and soak rice and all the lentils in water for at least 4.5 hours.
After soaking, blend rice, lentils, ginger, green chili to a lightly coarse texture, (drain water beforehand). I use my food processor for this. Then add yoghurt, turmeric, salt, sugar and asafetida. Blend mixture again. Transfer the mixture into a bowl and let it ferment for about 11 hours.
Add the butternut squash, 2 tbspns of oil and lemon juice to the fermented lentil mix. Mix well. To make the savoury cake mix light and fluffy, we now add the Eno.
Grease the baking pan with oil and pour the fermented mix, spreading it evenly.
Sprinkle sesame seeds over the batter and set aside.
In a pan heat some oil and then add the mustard seeds. Once these begin to crack add the asafoetida, turn off the heat. Pour this seasoning over the sesame seed topped batter mix.
Cover the baking pan with foil and place it on the middle oven rack; bake at 200c, preheated oven for 20 mins.
Remove the foil and bake for a further 20 mins until top of the savoury cake is light golden brown.
Let the cake cool off for about 20 minutes. Cut them into desired pieces and serve with chutneys and a fresh green salad.
Lena's Kitchen 